Rail lubricating apparatus



Oct 7; 1941' L'. P. WINBY TAL I 2,258,082

RAIL LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1940 e'sheetS-sheet 2 Oct. 7, 1941.

.L. F. WINBY ETAL RAIL LUBRICATING APPARATUS Filed June 24, 1940 6 vSheets-Sme'l: 6

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Patented Oct. 7, 1941 Guy Clement *landV Hurrell, Eltham', London; Eng-1 pplication/llunelge, 1940, Serial No. 412,186 In Great Britain June 24, 1939 e This invention relatesrto rail lubricating apparatus of the kind designed to lubricate arail automatically as a result of thev passage of a vehicle wheel along the rail and is particularly concerned with the type of rail lubricatorrinf cluding a grease container and a plungcrtype pump; the plunger being" actuated directly by the vehicle lwheels passing along the rail, a predetermined quantity of grease being applied 4to the rail each time the plunger is-depressed. Such plunger type automatic raillubricators have, in the past, been associated with runningrails, but the chief Yobject of the present invention to evolve a construction of lubricator which can be readily applied to guard or check railsQand which will be of a simple and neat construction.

. Rail lubricating mechanism, in accordance withy the presen-t invention, for application to a check vor guard rail comprises. aplunger type grease distributing pump having means for its attachment to the check rail in a position in Whit-,h the extremity of the plunger lies in the path. of the wheels of a vehicle passing along an adjacent running rail anda grease container associated with said pump for supplying g'rease thereto under pressure and a. grease distributor supplied with grease from saidp-ump andv serving to vdistribute grease over the surface of the check .rai-ll to be lubricated, the pump plunger being actuated-by the vwheel flanges. Y

Inorder that the said invention may be clearly' understod. and readily carried into effect,ithe sam-e will now be described more fully with refereneeto the-accompanyingdiawings, in whichyFigu'rel is a plan vviewof a check rail lubrica'- j tor constructed in accordance with the invention; Figures 2 and illustrate the lubricator in front elevation and' endelevation respectively; `n Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections on the lines A-A and B-B respectively in Figure 1, the twoviews being drawnto an enlarged. scale; and' v Y .li'ig'u're's-6J 7. and 8' are fragmentary iront Yelevation plan view, and end elevation 1respectively ot a mjodi'edvconstru'ction of rail lubricator. Figures 9 and 10are vertical sections on the lines D-D in. Figure 7,. and' E-TE in Figure' 6 respectively, both views being drawn to an enlarged scale. v

In the preferred form" of the invention illustrated by Figures 1`5V of the' accompanying drawings, ther lubricator comprises a cylindrical container orrreservoir' I', adaptedto contain grease or other lubricant under pressure, which is adaptv ed te be secured in'positi'on on the inner side" of the guar-'dor check rail 2a, the reservoir containing a piston 2 and' beingv fitted with' a closure cap t, a-coil spring 4vv being interposed between the piston and saidclosure cap, the springdue toits actionon the piston causing the latter to be moved axially ofi the reservoir to compress the lubricantr The lpiston and cap are internally` threaded to receive a withdrawing screw 5, Whilst the latter is `itted with a handle 6 for the purpose of withdrawing thevspring.

* The reservoir is fitted with aiillingV plug 'i for theinsertion of the lubricant and is formed with two outwardly directed lugsor `arms 8, lwhich serve to Vsupport agrease` distributor plate 9, and alsoseijve to locate Athe reservoir in position on theV check rail,v the reservoir being maintained in position by means ofv two securing bolts. I0 Vpassing throughV holes. formed in the check rail, vand entering'a pump casing Il, hereinafter described in detail, disposed onthe opposite side of the rail, a" spacing member l2" being interposedbetween the. web ofv the. checkrailand the pump casing. III-.this-.vvayV the lubricant reservoir and. pump casing are maintained 'r'rnly in posi'- A une on the meer rau, einsame rugs aj are@ hollow construction andlservefto accommodate grease delivered. from thev lubricant reservoir prior to it being delivered'. .ontor the check rail under the action; of' the The' pump easing I contains a plunger I2d axiallyl slidable therein, a valve body 1'3 containing brass? and l'ejatl'ier washers I`4 and (5, the brass u'faslier forming. a seating torv a ball valve 1:6 which is urged' linto engagementwith its seat- Ameans4 o'fra coil spring I1. Tlie valve casing. and plunger are formed .integrally whilst the washers areiairitainedii position by means Of' a.,sleeve-lkeQ'inleinberi f8 in tliaded engagement withV theinrier surface-efxtheivaive body; The plungler'is actuated bythe wheel ang'es of th Whlsv-'tfie vehicle pS-*i'li'galngr theiurining) rau', the, plunger being thus moveduwnwar-diy, a coil'sping ISfbeing provided' to'retur the plunger 'HS initial raised pstiOIi afteif depressiori- Y l l The washers" vfst ferm die rnale part of' die pum@ thezmale'pa'rfpeing inthe form of a upstaiing pin or 'ramgofof a diameter-equal te the internaldia "eter of' the' washers, the pin being lec'ated within ai; internally?" arid. externally threaded plug 2]'v fitting intoV a correspondingly threaded;hele'frrnedgin the underside' of the' pump cas-ingr, tnevpinfzcbeig eterhally threaded at 20a' fr the purpose of" adjusting the` pii in an axial direction, the pin being fitted with 'a milled head 22 for facilitating adjustment, a coil spring 23 being interposed between the milled head and the plug for the purpose of preventing 'rotation of the pin under the action of vibration. By moving the pin 2B upwardly or downwardly the effective stroke of the pump can be varied. The lubricant supplied by the reservoir under pressure passes through 'slots or other openings 24 in the lugs of the lubricant reservoir through an aligned opening 25 in the web of the check rail, and through a further opening 26 in the distance piece l2, felt or other washers 21 being interposed between the reservoirl and distance piece and the rail web for preventing the escape of lubricant, the lubricant passing into the pump in the direction of the arrows shown in Figures 1 and 4. v

The lubricant, under the action of the up-v standing pin 2i), and downwardly moving plunge er, passes upwardly through the washers I4 and i and past the non-return ball valve I6, the lubricant thence passing radially through holes 28 into an annular passage 29 encircling the plunger and thence into borings 30, shown in Figures l, 2 and 5, in the pump casing. The lubricant thence passes through axially arranged holes 3i bored in the securing bolts l0 and emerges from said bolts by way of a radially arranged hole or holes 32 into the hollow interior of the lugs B. The lubricant then passes upwardly in the direction of the arrows shown in Figures l, 2 and 5, and emerges through openings formed in the upper surfaces of the lugs 8 and onto the under surface of the distributor plate 9, the distributor plate being formed with recesses 33 lying transversely of the check rail, through which recesses the lubricant passes over the upper surface of the rail and onto its outer vertical surface.

The distributor plate is maintained in position by means of securing studs 34 passed through Aslots 35 in the distributor plate, thus permitting of a certain degree of adjustment.

AThe heads of the securing bolts I0 are protected by means of grease Caps 36 each maintained in position by means of a threaded stud 31 which enters a correspondingly threaded hole in the bolt head, whilst the pump casing is fitted with threaded studs- 38 arranged co-aXially with the bolts I0.

In a modified arrangement, illustrated by Figures 6-10, the pump casing is arranged horizontally as distinct from vertically and is situated upon the upper surface of the check rail, the pump plunger 39 having an inclined operating `face 40, which is engaged by the downwardly descending wheel flange as the wheel passes along the running rail, and results in the plunger being moved inwardly within its associated pump casing 4l. The pump casing 4I is combined with the lubricant distributor plate, the plunger being located within a, boring formed in the distributor plate, the pump casing and distributor plate being therefore given the same reference numeral. The undersurface of the distributor plate is vcut away to provide a series of grooves 33, as in the previously described construction, through which the grease is delivered from the pump, the distributor plate being tted with a series of superimposed baifle plates 42 having grease exit holes 43 arranged in staggered relationship, whereby the lubricant is uniformly distributed throughout the length of the distributor plate.

As in the previously described arrangement;

the lubricant containing reservoir I is formed with outwardly directed lugs 8 by which it is secured in position upon the vertical face of the check rail, the reservoir being maintained in position by means of securing bolts 44. The securing bolts 44 pass through holes formed in the lugs 8, and in the web of the check rail, the combined distributor plate and pump casing being maintained in position on the reservoir by means of two further securing bolts 45, which pass through slots 46 in the distributor plate,

which slots enable the position of the distributor plate to be adjusted slightly to compensate for Wear of the vertical face of the check rail. A suitable packing material 47 is interposed between the distributor plate, reservoir and adja- Y cent face of the check rail.

Regarding the pump plunger, this is of similar construction to that previously -described and includes a non-return valve I6 which is maintained in position upon a seating member |4rby a coil spring I'I, the plunger containing leather or other washers l5 with which co-operates a pin or ram 20 as in the previously described construction, the pin having a threaded portion 26a, in threaded engagement with an internally threaded plug 2|, which is itself disposed in the pump casing, the position of the pin 2|) being adjustable to vary the effective stroke of the plunger. A coil spring I9 is interposed between the plug and the pump plunger to maintain the latter normally in its projected position.

In order to prevent the plunger turning about its axis during operation, the plunger is formed with a longitudinally arranged spline groove 48 which is engaged by a protuberance 4-9 on a plate 5!! screwed in position upon the pump casing, the plate carrying a spring pressure plate 5I which serves to close normally a hole 52 in the pump casing provided for the escape of air, the lubricant from the reservoir entering by way of the lubricant admission hole 53.

The grease supplied under pressure from the lubricant reservoir enters the space within the interior of the leather or other washers, as in the previously described arrangement, when the plunger is in its projected position. Grease contained in said space is thus trapped by means of the pin or ram 20, the pump plunger being moved rearwardly under the action of the vehicle wheel. The grease is thus forced past the ball valve and into the axial boring containing the rcoil spring l1, and thence passes radially through holes 54 in the plunger and into further holes or passages formed in the pump casing through which passages the grease passes through the holes in the baffle plates in the distributor onto the face of the check rail, the

lubricant eventually emerging from the distributorV by way of the slots or recesses 33.

In the constructions previously described, the apparatus is virtually in the form of a self-con- .tained unit, which is supported entirely and upon the check rail, whilst the provisions made for adjustment enable the apparatus to be easily adjusted to compensate for wear on the pump plunger or wear of the vertical `face of the check rail.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A guard rail lubricator comprising a plunger type grease distributor pump, the plunger of which is engaged and actuated by the wheel flanges, a grease container in operative connection with said pump to permit of the supply of grease thereto, means in said grease container for supplying said pump with grease under a constant pressure, means for securing sai-d pump and grease container to the web of said guard rail on opposite sides thereof, and a grease distributor plate attached to said grease container in a position in which it overhangs said guard rail but permits of grease supplied by said pump to pass between said distributor plate and the head of said guard rail into a position in which it will be distributed over the side of the guard rail head engaged by the wheel lianges.

2. A guard rail lubricator comprising a plunger type grease distributor pump, the plunger of which is engaged and actuated by the wheel anges, a grease container in operative connection with said pump to permit of the supply of grease thereto, means in said grease container for supplying said pump with grease under a constant pressure, means for securing said pump and grease container to the web of said guard rail on opposite sides thereof, lugs on said grease container bored to permit of the passage of grease from said container to said pump by Way of borings in the web of said guard rail, and a grease distributor plate attached to said grease container in a position in which it overhangs said guard rail but permits of grease supplied by said pump to pass between said distributor plate and the head of said guard rail into a position in which it will be distributed over the side of the guard rail head engaged by the wheel anges.

3. A guard rail lubricator comprising a plunger type grease `distributor pump, the plunger of which is engaged and actuated by the Wheel anges, a grease container in operative connection with pump to permit of the supply of grease thereto, means in said grease container for supplying said pump with grease under a constant pressure, means for securing said pump and grease container to the web of said guard rail on opposite sides thereof, Vlugs on said grease container bored to permit of the passage o1 grease from said container to said pump by way of borings in the web of said guard rail,v bolts securing said grease container and pump in position on said web and having passages therein for the passage of grease supplied by said pump, and a grease distributor plate attached to said grease container in a position in which it overhangs said `guard. rail but permits of grease forced by said pump through said securing bolts to pass between said distributor plate and the head of said guar-d rail into a position in which it can be picked up by the wheel anges and distributed over the side of the guard rail head engaged-by the wheel flanges.

LEWIS PHILLIPS WINBY. GUY CLEMENT HURRELL. 

